Disney has mentioned the Disney Genie quite awhile back. It’s a service that is meant to make planning for your trip and visiting the parks easier. However, news about this service has been relatively quiet until now.
Today Disney made some big announcements that were tied in with the starting timeframe of this new service. First, the Disney Genie service is set to begin sometime this fall, so pretty soon. The service is for guests who visit both Disney World and Disneyland. Disney Genie will be built right into the My Disney Experience and Disneyland apps for easy use.
Features include things like:
- Itinerary updates throughout the day
- Creating a tip board to see your favorites
- Joining virtual queue lines
- Making dining reservations
- Using mobile order at many locations on property
Now, while the above features are included with the Disney Genie, there are some features that are available for purchase, and this is where other news comes into play. Disney is retiring the FastPass, FastPass+, and Disney MaxPass Services from Disney World and Disneyland. Instead, guests can purchase Genie+ for $15 per ticket per day at Disney World and $20 per ticket per day at Disneyland. Once purchased, guests will be able to choose the next available time for different attractions and experiences in the parks (subject to availability). Instead of using a FastPass lane, guests will now be looking for the Lightning Lane entrance. These selections can be made on the same day of your visit and can be used at multiple theme parks. So those with Park Hopper tickets will be able to use the Lightning Lane at multiple parks.
In addition to Genie+, there is an option to purchase entry to the Lightning Lane for up to two highly popular rides. Disney gave the example of Seven Dwarfs Mine Train at Magic Kingdom Park and Radiator Springs Racers at Disney California Adventure park. Again, attractions in this category are not included in the price for Genie+, they are an additional price. Disney has not released the pricing for this option yet. They said, “Pricing for this option will vary by date, attraction and park and will be announced closer to launch.” Regular standby lines will, of course, still be available to guests, as will the virtual queue line for rides like Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance.
In addition, The Disability Access Service (DAS) program will get some updates. Guests using the DAS program will be soon be able to enroll in the program pre-arrival and select attractions directly in the apps. These options will be an addition to the in-person DAS program, which will continue as it is.
To get an idea of what Disney Genie will look like take a look at Disney’s video below.
What do you think about this new service?
Thanks for reading!
Liz
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Liz
I love all things Disney, but my main love is for Disney World and I'm always planning for the next trip. Before becoming a Disney blogger, I was a radio DJ, so I guess I'm just continuing in the communication industry, just in a different form. I love talking Disney and I could talk about Disney all day. That's why I started blogging and created the Facebook group. The Disney community is full of friendly, helpful, and happy people...and I love being a part of it! If there is any Disney subject you would like to see covered just let me know! Need help planning your Disney vacation. Feel free to contact myself or Melissa at Never Stop Dreaming Travel Co. We love helping people plan their trips! Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy! Don't forget to check out our Countdown to Disney app! Feel free to email me with suggestions of things you would like to see in the app :-)
The Genie thing seems like it would be helpful for those not familiar with the parks. Those of us who go regularly….not sure it will be necessary. I think we all pay enough without having to pay for partial fast pass and then pay more for better fast pass. Disney is getting ridiculous with all the additional charges. We are not rope droppers (mainly due to my wife…) so setting up fast passes 60 days out worked for us. Now I have to get up at 7 every morning to set 1. They say flexibility was important, but you still have to have a reservation set for the theme park for the day, so that doesnt make sense. Maybe backlash from this will be the final nail to boot Chapek and D’Amaro. Between this and their push to get rid of our favorite ride (Splash Mountain) I am really frustrated with Disney right now. My wife is even starting to say she is losing interest in going anymore.
I’m with you Doug. As the company continues to bleed guests for every little thing, one begins to think (though we have years of memories) about what other things we could have done or given with all the money spent at WDW. That thought definitely takes away from those memories. Is charging for going to the bathroom next? It’s so sad.